Sunberry, Pygmy groundcherry
Physalis minima
Family: Solanaceae
What it is like
Physalis minima is a ANNUAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is frost tender. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.5
Where it is found
Sandy river flats in Australia. Field edges, waste ground near houses, roadsides etc, in porous organic-rich soils in the Himalayas.
E. Asia - China, Himalayas, to Australia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Edible fruit - cooked. Tastes like a cherry tomato. Scarcely worthwhile. Juicy, mildly astringent and sweet with a pleasant blend of acid, the overall quality is good. The unripe fruit can be cooked as a vegetable. The fruit is about 1.5cm in diameter. It contains about 6% sugars, 2.7% protein, 1.2% ash, 0.6% tannin and 0.5% pectin. A good quantity of vitamin C. about 24.5mg per 100ml of juice. The fruit is formed and ripens consecutively over a long period. Average yields from a plant covering 2.5 square metres are about 545g. The plant conveniently wraps up each fruit in its own 'paper bag' (botanically, the calyx) to protect it from pests and the elements. This calyx is toxic and should not be eaten.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The fruit is said to be appetizer, bitter, diuretic, laxative and tonic. Extracts from the plant have shown anticancer activity. The juice of the leaves, mixed with mustard oil and water, has been used as a remedy for earache.
Appetizer: Improves the appetite
Bitter: Increases the appetite and stimulates digestion by acting on the mucous membranes of the mouth. Also increases the flow of bile, stimulates repair of the gut wall lining and regulates the secretion of insulin and glucogen.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though if it proves to be tender, it should be possible to treat it as an annual, sowing the seed in early spring in a warm greenhouse and planting out after the last expected frosts. It is highly resistant to pests and diseases and is worthy of cultivation. Closely related to P. virginiana. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in any well-drained soil in full sun or light shade.
Propagating it: Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse only just covering the seed. Germination usually takes place quickly and freely. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of fairly rich soil when they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away well. Diurnal temperature fluctuations assist germination. Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Basal cuttings in early summer. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where many of the members have poisonous leaves and stems, though the full ripe fruits are usually edible.